As the holiday season approaches, your stress level will probably rise. In addition to your families typical schedule of work, home and kids, there is more shopping to do, events to arrange, menus to plan, and food to prepare. No doubt that the holiday season adds stress to most peoples lives and especially to those with a family. But, if we plan and make ourselves ready, even with all the extra activities and extra preparations, holiday stress can still be reduced for you, your partner and your family.
The two of you need to work together to get ahead of the holiday stress. Make one of your date nights as a planning session on how the two of you will manage the holidays this year, together. You should start this conversation. Do not wait for them to ask you for help. If you do this right, you just may see a sparkle in their eye that may not have been there in a while, if you know what we mean!
Here Are Some Proven Strategies To Help You And Your Partner To Decrease Your Stress.
Some of these may even be so effective that you’ll choose to use them all year long, not just during the holidays! And having the “Planning Session” date nights on a regular basis for other yearly events may be all that you need to change the mood in your bedroom!
1. Set The Expectations – Let Your Family Know That Everything Doesn’t Need To Be Perfect And More Than Likely Won’t Be Perfect.
The commercials and movies on television during the holidays really miss the mark when it comes to realistic portrayals of family holidays. Family gatherings, no matter how big or small, are usually hectic chaotic events. Something will always go wrong. Know this.
- Accept that you can all enjoy holiday get-togethers regardless of whether something is spilled or knocked over and broken.
- Furthermore, most people will hardly notice if something is missed or forgotten on the dinner table or that you forgot to get that specific bottle of wine.
2. Start The Holiday Planning And Preparations Earlier.
Can you imagine how much less stressed you and your partner will feel if you had all of the gift shopping and wrapping done in October?
- Also, work together to plan your holiday menus well in advance of using them. This way, you’ll have the menu set and the store lists made. As the holidays get closer, review the menus and shopping lists and make any minor adjustments you want or need to.
- When you are out doing the grocery shopping you can keep an eye out for what you might need.
- Spreading holiday tasks out over longer periods of time means you’ll have less stress during the holiday season.
3. Be Reasonable With The Holiday Plans.
Because we adults sometimes have an overly idealistic view of the holidays that springs from their childhood experiences, this strategy can be tough to do. Scaling down your plans involves letting go of your “perfect dream” for the holidays.
If you have kids you want them to have “the best holiday, ever!”, just like we had or like we wanted to have when we were kids.
- Know that you don’t have to repeat that special holiday memory you have in your mind. You don’t have to have the best holiday ever. You don’t have to find the perfect gift, spend the most money or have a room stacked with wrapped packages to show your love to others.
- Embrace the theory that, “It’s the thought that counts.” Most people will never remember the cool thing you got for them that one year. Do fun things together with you family.
- Start new traditions like everyone taking the dog for a walk together. Find ways to spend time together. Everyone will have warm memories of the time that you were together as a family.
4. Take Some Shortcuts To Save Time.
Figure out easier ways to do things that will provide more time for other holiday tasks and activities.
- One example: If you know that you and your partner will not have time to prepare a certain dish, get it catered or pre-prepared.
- When shopping, don’t be afraid to select gift cards as holiday gifts. Yes, we know it is not the ideal gift to get someone. But getting the perfect gift for everyone is impossible. The fact is that many people prefer receiving a gift card as they can then choose exactly what they want. Gift cards are easy to shop for, satisfy nearly everyone and will cost you almost nothing in wrapping paper. Basically, gift cards can be “easy breezy.”
5. With Your Family Choose What You Want To Do.
Ponder what the holidays truly mean to you and then express that meaning in your celebrations. Avoid getting caught up in the commercialism that has taken over the entire holiday season.
- These days, starting as early as Black Friday it seems that season is all about the shopping. However, it’s worth your time to think about what ideas you hope to portray to your family, friends and loved ones during the holidays.
- Let go of feeling required to plan and carry out elaborate, lavish celebrations. Maybe you’d really rather have smaller, more intimate gatherings with your family or friends spread out over a month or two, rather than a big one night event that makes it difficult to really connect with others.
- One of the best way to teach your children that the holidays are about giving to others is to take them to visit local charities or even to serve meals at a local soup kitchen.
Section Conclusion
This year, make the decision to reduce your holiday stress by losing the urge for it to be perfect, beginning holiday planning earlier, scaling down expectations, and using shortcuts to save time. By making these decisions you’ll bring your stress and tension levels way down.
Think about what you really want the holidays to mean to you and your family. Then, you can let go of expectations based on the past and of the artificial influences media promotes today and really enjoy your time together with your family. Ultimately, isn’t that what the holidays are for?
BAM! Be A Man. Do The Right Thing. Take Care Of Yourself And Your Family. Happy Holidays!
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Battling And Overcoming Stress During the Holidays
Battling and overcoming stress during the holidays can be a challenge to anyone. As adults with responsibilities the youthful exuberance of the holiday season is mostly gone and replaced with anxiety, stress and worry about how we are going to just get through to the beginning of January.
These days, there are too many things that can lead to this type of stress.
Common Causes Of Holiday Stress:
- Family Gatherings
- Coping With Loss
- Busy Stores
- Crazy Shoppers
- Long Lines
- Full Parking Lots
- Year End Work Deadlines
- The Office Party
- Bonus Or Not
- Gift Buying
- Conflicts
- And More
You may also have high expectations that add to the stress of the holiday season. Long gone are the days in which the season was highly anticipated and there was a sense of magic in the air. As an adult, you may find the season to be more stressful and angst ridden than joyous and fun that we are led to believe to be associated with the holidays.
These days, it seems that the holiday stress is just another necessary holiday tradition.
Remember, if you are in a relationship, you partner is feeling the stress to. Any advice we can offer you should be shared with them and you should take into consideration allowing them to have the same stress relief ideas and opportunities that you partake in.
Here are some methods you can use to battle and overcome stress during the holidays:
1. Do Not Overcommit.
The holidays normally come with many social gatherings that most of us feel we must attend. The fact is that you don’t have to go to every event you’re invited to.
- Saying “no thank you” to some of the invitations will free up more time for you to take care of the things that you actually need to look after. Give your partner the room to say no to the requests that come from your side.
- It’s important to remember and enjoy the spirit of the holidays. If it takes saying “no” to preserve some of your sanity, do it. Everyone is busy and overburdened this time of year. Others will be more understanding than you give them credit for.
- Don’t become so burdened that you are secretly wishing for the season to pass quickly. Take time to be by yourself or alone with your partner. Whether you take a yoga class or a engage in your hobby or just have a quiet dinner alone together, allow yourselves to do something enjoyable without worrying about the holiday stress.
- You may not be able to get out of the work party, but you do not need to stay the whole evening.
2. Carrying On With The Traditions.
Growing up, we may have seen our mothers cook a full course Christmas dinner. Perhaps it was routine to host a big and lavish holiday party. Maybe your family baked hundreds of Christmas cookies to give to friends and relatives.
- Tradition is important and good but don’t allow yourself or your partner to become so wrapped up in tradition that it consumes you.
If you find that the routine you have usually followed is just for the pure and simple sake of tradition, and is now weighing on you resulting in more stress than you can deal with, break away from it! You and yours will be happier when you’re free from this stress.
- Rather than living up to the expectations of years past, start your own, easy-going traditions. Instead of throwing a lavish party, have fewer friends over for a relaxed evening of catching up. If you are having a bigger event, have other family members bring side dishes to the holiday meal rather than making everything.
We all get nostalgic for our past, but the world is different today. It may be the time to let go of some of the old traditions and start up some new simpler ones.
3. Finding The Perfect Gift.
There’s so much pressure to purchase the perfect gift for each person that it takes all the fun out of shopping. Get over it. Remember, people are generally appreciative for whatever gift they receive. They don’t expect you to go to every corner of the Earth to find them a spectacular gift.
- Save time, money and some aggravation by skipping the wrapping. Creativity should be the main focus. You can even give gifts that can be used throughout the year. For example, you may give a coupon in a card for a free night of babysitting, one day of yard work, or other special things, wink wink!
- No doubt that shopping online has made searching for gifts much easier. It might also be more cost effective to buy online because many stores offer special sales or free shipping near the holidays.
- But be careful, online shopping is a double edged sword. Shopping online can be rabbit’s hole of time wasted if you don’t plan on what you will be looking for.
Conclusion
When you make the time to stop and think about things, you will see that there are several effective ways to battle and overcome stress during the holidays.
The key is to figure out what’s causing your stress and make the decision, together with your partner on what to do about it and how you plan to handle it. In the end, you’ll realize that most of the stress you experience is a result of the expectations you pose on yourself.
If you are in a relationship you need to be attentive and aware of how your partner is doing as well. If they need help offer it. Don’t wait to be asked.
Above all, whatever you choose to do, make the holiday plan to battle and overcome the stresses that come with the holiday season.
BAM! Be A Man. Do The Right Thing. Take Care Of Yourself And Your Family. Happy Holidays!
BAM! Be A Man. Do The Right Thing.
Be The DtRTy Guy!